Hanson Named Ivy's Best Defensive Infielder

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — As a sophomore, Cale Hanson (Katy, Texas/Katy High School/Loomis Chaffee) was one of the leading players in the field and at the plate for the Yale University baseball team last season.

With the start of the 2013 season quickly approaching, the expectations for Hanson are already high as he enters his third season with the Bulldogs, and it appears that coaches around the league are anticipating an even bigger year out of the junior shortstop.

College Baseball Insider, an Internet publication, released their Ivy League preview, which contains a survey from coaches around the league. In the survey, the coaches tabbed Hanson as the Best Defensive Infielder in the Ivy League.

In 2012, Hanson finished the season with a .961 fielding percentage. He led the Bulldogs in fielding assists with 109, which was fourth in the Ivy League. He was also third on the team in double plays (26 - sixth in the Ivy League), fourth on the team in fielding chances (181), and fifth in putouts (65).

Hanson, an All-Ivy League Second Team selection in 2012, was also recently named to the Preseason All-Ivy League Second Team by College Sports Madness, an Internet college sports publication.

Hanson started all 45 games 2012 and shared the G.H. Walker, Jr. Award with catcher Ryan Brenner as the team's Most Valuable Players during the 2012 season. Hanson led the Bulldogs in hitting, posting a .340 batting average, while also posting team-highs in on-base percentage (.412), total hits (55), walks (19), and stolen bases (11) while starting all 45 games (39 at shortstop and 6 at center field).

Hanson also recorded a streak of 34 straight games in which he reached base, the longest streak in the Ivy League last season.

Hanson has been one of Yale's most consistent players in his first two seasons playing for head coach John Stuper, starting all 87 games that Yale played in 2011 and 2012.

In his freshman season, Hanson started all 42 games, finishing with a .278 batting average (44 hits in 158 at-bats) with six doubles, two home runs and 18 RBIs. He led the Bulldogs in runs scored (37), HBPs (9) and sac bunts (9). He was second on the team in home runs (2), walks (18), stolen base attempts (12), and third on the team in hits (44), total bases (56) and stolen bases (7). He also made six relief appearances on the mound with a 1-1 record and a 0.00 ERA, allowing only one unearned run and four hits in seven innings pitched.

Yale, which posted a 13-31-1 record in 2012, will kick off the 2013 season on March 9 with a doubleheader that starts a three-game set against Army in Tampa, Fla.